South Shore Casting Director Jodi Purdy-Quinlan said boxing light-heavyweight Manny Lopes was a natural fit to play “Miguel” in the 2008 movie “Bride Wars,” because of his muscles, tattoos and contagious smile. Lopes died Dec. 31 after a battle with depression and drugs.

Ed Baker ebaker@wickedlocal.com @EdBakerWeymouth

South Shore Casting Director Jodi Purdy-Quinlan said boxing light-heavyweight Manny Lopes was a natural fit to play “Miguel” in the 2008 movie “Bride Wars,” because of his muscles, tattoos and contagious smile.

“The director said to me to find him a Latino guy with tattoos for the role of Miguel,” Purdy-Quinlan said. “I went through my files. I had people listed on my computer in MySpace and Facebook, which was just beginning. I grabbed some pictures of Manny and showed them to the director. He said perfect, can he act? I said he can act. That was that.”

Purdy-Quinlan said she is going to miss Lopes, 32, 'a beautiful young man,' who died Dec. 31 following a battle with depression and drugs.

“He was gracious and sweet,” Purdy-Quinlan said. “He brought his daughter to the studio and we remained friends. I knew he was struggling. It was hard to see someone who had so much going on. You see this a lot with young beautiful people who injure themselves. They go from being wonderful athletes, they injure themselves and the doctors prescribe some pretty intense medications and they get easily addicted to them.”

Purdy-Quinlan said Lopes was quite excited with his role as Miguel in "Bride Wars," which also starred Anne Hathaway and Kate Hudson.

“He has a scene where Anne Hathaway’s character is in Mexico on spring break,” Purdy-Quinlan said. “She is in a bar and gets a buzz. She ends up flirting with Miguel and getting a little crazy.”

Purdy-Quinlan said "Bride Wars" also has a bedroom scene in which Lopes was shirtless and is in bed under the covers with Hathaway.

“That was when his boxing career came into play, during the spring of 2008,” Purdy-Quinlan said. “Everything happened to him at the same time. I wanted to get him an agent and get him more acting and modeling work, but he was very shy and he was busy with his boxing career. He had a little girl and a lot on his plate.”

Purdy-Quinlan said Lopes did not have to audition for his role in the movie when she showed some shirtless photos of him to the director who took her word that he could act.

“It was one of the opportunities where I had the opportunity to cast somebody in a speaking role without them having to audition,” Purdy-Quinlan said.

Purdy-Quinlan said the scene with Lopes and Hathway in the bar was filmed in the Kowloon Restaurant in Saugus.

“He was awesome,” Purdy-Quinlan said.

Hand injuries required Lopes, who won a couple of Southern New England Gold Glove titles, to have surgeries and his boxing career ended in 2010, but the operations led to some pain killer problems and he also suffered from depression.

Purdy-Quinlan said Lopes’ grandfather Manuel Lopes Sr., a Marshfield contractor, died in 2009.

“He was his best friend,” Purdy-Quinlan said.

Purdy-Quinlan said Lopes was devastated by the death of his grandfather and the end of his boxing career, in addition to battling depression that demanded pain medications.

“It is becoming a scourge on our society,” Purdy-Quinlan said. “I have seen too many friends bury their children. We have lost too many people. It is very sad.”

Lopes is survived by his parents, Wayne D. Lopes and his wife Aleksandra of Marshfield, and Dolores A. (Rodrigues) Schiavo and her husband John Schiavo, Sr. of Scituate, according to an obituary published by the MacDonald Funeral Home in Marshfield.

Lopes is also survived by Aaliyah Lopes of Pembroke and M.J. Lopes of Kingston, and he is the brother of Denise Lopes, Johna Schiavo, Arthur Lopes, and John Schiavo, Jr., all of Marshfield. Lopes is additionally survived by his grandmother Kathryn Lopes of Quincy, Priscilla Rodrigues of Scituate, the late Arthur Rodrigues, and the late Manuel Lopes.

Lopes also leaves his bride-to-be, Courtney Camelio of Marshfield, and many cousins and friends.

Visiting hours will be held on Sunday, Jan. 8 from noon to 5:00 p.m. at the MacDonald Funeral Home, 1755 Ocean Street, on Route 139 in Marshfield.

The funeral service and burial will be private.

Donations in Manny’s memory can be made to the Marshfield Drug Task Force, at Marshfield Town Hall, 870 Moraine Street, in Marshfield, Ma., 02050.